Anyone up for a chat thread?

Here's one I bet most haven't seen before: yesterday, as the Rector preached, a wasp landed on his Canterbury cap and stayed perched up there until he had concluded and stepped down from the pulpit to read the Offertory sentences. He was totally oblivious but the crucifer and organist, who were sitting somewhat behind him, saw it happen and the people on the front pews (yes, we actually have folks that sit in the front!) were staring with terrified expressions.

I laughed this morning when the presenter on morning TV announced that it was Star Wars Day and then said 'May the 4th be with you' and the co-host I think revealed some Anglican roots when she simply in auto dialogue replied 'and also with you'.

I had a lesson in sermon writing a couple of weeks ago. The rector had let himself get overly submerged in academics and wrote a sermon which amounted to a diatribe about Rudolf Bultmann and Albert Schweitzer. I sat there in choir listening and thought to myself, there are probably three people in here who know what you are talking about. I've got the sermon this week.

Paidiske said:

Sometimes learning what not to do is as important as learning what to do.

Interesting moment in parish council this evening; I had mentioned, in passing, the possibility of having a theological student on field placement in the parish. And I was surprised that parish council didn't seem entirely keen on the prospect, and seemed to doubt whether that was something that would benefit either the parish or the student. I thought it would be a very positive thing...

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That may be because not all theological students are 'clara bonam audax', and not all theological students preaching is 'clara bonam audax', and it may be their way of telling you that they like your preaching.

I wonder if perhaps they don't feel like they should have to do part of the training for this person that is only going to be there a short time.

See that's off to me. If I was in a small parish I would be thrilled of the idea of having another staff member, one that could maybe help with evangelistic efforts to try to make sure it didn't remain a small parish.

I think it's a both and sort of thing. Yes they are students and they are primarily there to learn. But at the same time, if you aren't using them for practical purposes, then you aren't really preparing them.

Might they be worrying about what they would be giving up of your time for you to help train another?

I have supervised clinical interns. Done right, it is a time commitment.

In the continuing churches summer intensive seminars are quite common. We had a student two summers ago. The man was probably near to sixty years old and was on the last semester of seminary. His academic preparation was essentially complete. But we got him into the parish setting and he couldn't DO anything. There was something being lost in translation from having seen the service hundreds of times to standing behind the rail to lead parts of it.

My experience is that people from parishes that are primarily using the American Missal in their worship struggle with this disconnect much more than those who are in the BCP every week. It's as if they don't know exactly where they are in the course of the service and what's coming next. The services are not that different but the Missal service can be thought of as an amplification of what's in the BCP - which I think makes it functionally easier to follow; there's a lot more red type on the page.

Well, I've been asked to move to Canada. The parish that would have me has asked me to come for ten days so we can feel each other out and I can see what their region is all about. This is pretty exciting to me. My two girls are also excited by this opportunity.